The 'Mechs that never see use in your games

[Mattlov]

So I was putting away a couple painted 'Mechs yesterday and noticed a little and completely forgotten 'Mech sitting there.

The Arctic Fox.

I bought one a couple decades ago, and I'd be STUNNED if I've put it on the field twice.  It isn't the worst 'Mech out there, I just never think to use it.


What do you have sitting around you haven't used in a forever and a half?  Any reason why?

[Sartris]

I have one of pretty much everything so a lot of my minis spend most of their lives in a drawer. My HW Clan stuff especially has largely been fielded once or not at all. The next campaign I'm running will be set in the 3100s so much of the DA stuff I've been amassing since 2013 or so will finally see the light of day. I try to mix up eras from campaign to campaign if for no other reason than to make sure I actually get to play with the toys I buy.

When I'm making OpFor, the MUL era lists help me from getting into a rut and toss out some stuff I might not otherwise think about.

[BairdEC]

The Targe and the Jinggau, because they are so ridiculously oversized.  My Scarabus model is also grossly oversized, but apparently they weren't at some point because I've seen smaller versions.

[Mattlov]

The Targe and the Jinggau, because they are so ridiculously oversized.  My Scarabus model is also grossly oversized, but apparently they weren't at some point because I've seen smaller versions.

The smaller one is the newer one. 

It is also still an illegal design according to the first record sheet book it came out in.  :D

[Sartris]

the targe is just a crime

[BairdEC]

The smaller one is the newer one. 

It is also still an illegal design according to the first record sheet book it came out in.  :D

That's good to hear.  I'll have to pick up a few of the newer ones.  If only IWM would do that for some of the other oversized 'Mechs.

[Empyrus]

the targe is just a crime

Targe 1N is usable though admittedly there are better options. It is so fast it makes a-okay backstabber.
Targe 2N is just a sick joke. Whoever designed that must have been a sadist or masochist or more likely both. EDIT Reasonably fast MML-9 is OK concept. But MASC and ammo on legs? I don't mind weak designs but i draw line on something that can blow up because MASC and ammo on legs combo.
Targe 3M is very fast LRM-10, a Valkyrie on steroids. Not terribly impressive, perhaps, but usable.

...

Yes, i'm defending the Targe.

[Firesprocket]

To many to name. However, pick most any 20 ton IS mech in my case.  Playing more games of AS these days though, that may change.  I can find good uses for most anything in AS.

[Challenger]

The Rifleman and Jagermech rarely made an appearance, atleast not until the RAC5 versions.

On the Clan side the Hellbringer was rarely seen as well.

Challenger

[Demon55]

The Rifleman and Jagermech rarely made an appearance, atleast not until the RAC5 versions.

On the Clan side the Hellbringer was rarely seen as well.

Challenger

Agreed.  The original Rifleman is just too poorly designed. 

I generally do not use the 20 tonners as for the speed there are better units or a hovertank can do the job better. 

I never use the Urbanmech. 

[SCC]

I generally do not use the 20 tonners as for the speed there are better units or a hovertank can do the job better.

Considering that may well involve dying it's probably important not to use a 'Mech. The transport logistics also favor vehicles over really small 'Mechs.

I never use the Urbanmech.

The UrbanMech is a good idea, just maybe not pulled off too well.

[Mattlov]

I never use the Urbanmech.

BLASPHEMY!!!!!

[Getz]

From my collection I think I've only ever used my Vindicator once - although I'm not sure why, it's a decent mech...

[abou]

The nice thing about Game Mastering a group is that winning every battle is not the goal for you personally. As a result, I've managed to find a way to use every mini that I have managed to paint. Has been the best way to justify all the hundreds of dollars I have spent on small bits of shaped metal over the years!  O0

[IronSphinx]

Most of my Clan units gather dust. Only use them about once or twice a year. And I never use the UrbanMech, even though I've got one or two of them.

[Tyler Jorgensson]

I see this thread and I want to set up a donation box "Drop off unused mechs here!"

But seriously: Clint, Hermes II, Cicada, Cyclops, Quickdraw. Basically have the Box set plus a dozen others but I've never used any of those (despite wanting to try the Clint and Hermes)

[TimmyTheNerd]

I've never seen anyone use a Whitworth, which my play group seems to enjoy calling 'Whitworthless'.

[Sartris]

I've never seen anyone use a Whitworth, which my play group seems to enjoy calling 'Whitworthless'.

It was one of my first two mechs in my longest running campaign. I pledged with God as my witness that i'd never be poor enough to be forced to use one ever again  ;D

[Empyrus]

The Withworth is very good in its role. Reasonably mobile 2xLRM-10 is incredibly useful in a game limited to only introductory tech or low amounts of Star League tech. Triple ML is excellent armament for close combat (and it is basically perfectly bracketed fighter). And it is quite tough for its size.
At the same time, the 'Mech is not exactly dangerous to elicit a response so it can slowly chip away at enemies... or it gets targeted and your other units aren't.

Obviously it needs to be used properly. Pair it with 'Mechs of similar mobility and/or roles. Goes well with Catapults and Panthers and Archers. Excellent in urban combat (provided you have a spotter). Trying to fit it to a mobile light/medium lance is not a good idea.

It is not flashy and it will lose effectiveness rapidly after the Clan Invasion except in militia duty. But before that, it is an excellent filler for reasonably cheap BV cost.

[Demon55]

BLASPHEMY!!!!!

My father was a WSO, so it runs in my blood! 

[SteelRaven]

So many mechs in BT, it's easy to ignore the less shiny ones.

[Jellico]

Anything big. A lot of my games are weight limited. A shame considering that I love the Executioner, Kingfisher, Executioner combo.

[TimmyTheNerd]

Anything big. A lot of my games are weight limited. A shame considering that I love the Executioner, Kingfisher, Executioner combo.

I'm actually going into my first weight limited game, at least at the start. 200 tons, 4 mechs or vehicles or a mix of the two (no more and no less than 4 though), must have 1 light and 1 medium. 1 to 3 lights, 1 to 3 mediums, 0 to 1 heavy, 0 to 1 assault. It's just to determine starting lance for a campaign.

Fun fact, everyone complains about how I like the vehicles more than the mechs 75% of the time, with only a handful of mechs I actually like. Tempted to go into this campaign with either 1 mech and 3 vehicles or 4 vehicles. Pretty sure the GM is only allowing vehicles because of me, since I've never seen anyone else bring them.

[Feenix74]

The nice thing about Game Mastering a group is that winning every battle is not the goal for you personally. As a result, I've managed to find a way to use every mini that I have managed to paint. Has been the best way to justify all the hundreds of dollars I have spent on small bits of shaped metal over the years!  O0

One of the best things about playing OPFOR for a campaign is this, often you want to push the player group without going out there to kill them so depending on their skill/luck levels it is often useful to pick non-optimised designs that you can have a bit of fun with and not headcap the player by accident and kill off a PC.

Agreed.  The original Rifleman is just too poorly designed. 

I generally do not use the 20 tonners as for the speed there are better units or a hovertank can do the job better. 

I never use the Urbanmech. 

So I have run OPFOR Rifleman, 20 tonners and even a lance of Urbanmechs slow marching forward and concentrating fire (actually can be quite intimidating against light/medium mechs which cannot afford to take too many 10 point hits and may not have the long range weapons to be able to hit back effectively).

I must admit, I am struggling to think of mech that I have not fielded at one time or another. There are plenty that I would not choose to be in my starting XI but it is one of the things I like about Battletech is that each unit has strengths and weaknesses.

[StoneRhino]

There are plenty of them just feet away from me. Considering how spaced out games can be even when trying to push for one every other week, it is hard to go through many of the different minis. I try to use at least a few that I haven't used in a while every game. A lot of them end up in painting hell, which is where minis go when they have half a paint job and I just dont' have the time or motivation to finish them.

I think some of the first minis that I bought, if not the actual first pair that I picked up was a valkyrie and a Javelin. I may have used the Javelin a few times, but never the Valkyrie as the actual mech, only as a proxy.

[Kovax]

I've gotten plenty of use out of my Locusts and Stingers, an Urbanmech, a pair of Hermes IIs, and even a Vulcan in my collection.  About the only 'Mech in my moderately sizable collection that I've probably never actually fielded in a battle is an Assassin, and only because I've got several other light and medium 'Mechs that perform basically the same role.  I've got nothing against using it, and I know it can be fairly effective at harassing vehicles and light "bug" 'Mechs, but there really hasn't been any essential need to field it either.

A basic Locust 1V makes a decent scout and harassment unit for a bargain price, has sufficient armor to withstand a bit more punishment than its slower 20T companions, and will easily go through terrain that no hovercraft can; a hovercraft is a VERY viable replacement in SOME situations, not others.  The Urbanmech is a defensive specialist in either broken or urban (as the name implies) terrain, but is at a severe disadvantage against heavier units with long lines of sight, or where maneuverability is required.  The Hermes II makes a decent scout hunter and highly flexible command unit for a "bug" lance, and the 2M variant can be a monstrous back-stabber. The Clint, while similar to the basic HER-2S, is disturbingly under-armored for the tonnage, sacrificing armor for jump capability, but sufficient against some lighter units.  The Vulcan has the speed and long-range sniper weapon to "park" vehicles that would otherwise be a serious threat to your other units, not the kind of unit you'd want to field in quantity, but one in a force is potentially a critical asset in various situations.  Then there are units like the Whitworth, which are impressively effective for their C-Bill cost (a nearly optimal LRM and ML bracket firer), but just not heavy enough to engage most "line" 'Mechs one-on-one; I've run them in numerous campaigns and had VERY good luck with them in a supporting role, and like a Catapult, often successfully engaging badly damaged heavies with the lasers after the LRMs run dry.

[Kit deSummersville]

Targe 2N is just a sick joke. Whoever designed that must have been a sadist or masochist or more likely both. EDIT Reasonably fast MML-9 is OK concept. But MASC and ammo on legs? I don't mind weak designs but i draw line on something that can blow up because MASC and ammo on legs combo.

Think of them as one-shot jump jets.

[JadeHellbringer]

Griffins.

I know, right? I don't even know why, just... not one I like to use in games. It's (usually) an outstanding fire support Mech, and I'm over here like "durrr, rather have a Trebuchet" and all that. It's stupid, it's shortsighted, and the next time I build a force I'll omit Griffins again because I'm insane.

[markhall]

Everyone has their own Tastes. JHB.

Shame to miss out on the quailty of a Griffin thou.

Yeoman. Have 2 don't think they've ever been on the table.

A lot of the ATM boats get passed over by me. Except one Savage Coyote I bought just so anther player couldn't use it on us at the time.

 

[Nightsong]

Hm... probably the Yeoman and the Sunder. Yeoman I got from a store close out for 2 bucks, the Sunder because I love the design, but end up not finding the particular lance to put it in or that I can afford.

The Griffin is a nice one, I tend to use the C3i model as additional fire support alongside my Bombardier in my ComStar Level II (along with a King Crab, Avatar, Hussar and either Tessen or the iNarc Phoenix Hawk.)

[garhkal]

Agreed.  The original Rifleman is just too poorly designed. 

I generally do not use the 20 tonners as for the speed there are better units or a hovertank can do the job better. 

I never use the Urbanmech.

I've had fun with a # of the 20 tonners..  The fireball, the flea, hornet, locust, stingers and wasps.  Even gave a mercury a go once..

The Withworth is very good in its role. Reasonably mobile 2xLRM-10 is incredibly useful in a game limited to only introductory tech or low amounts of Star League tech. Triple ML is excellent armament for close combat (and it is basically perfectly bracketed fighter). And it is quite tough for its size.
At the same time, the 'Mech is not exactly dangerous to elicit a response so it can slowly chip away at enemies... or it gets targeted and your other units aren't.

I agree.  I've had good experiences with the whitworth..

So many mechs in BT, it's easy to ignore the less shiny ones.

Especially if you use all the Tros..  If say you stick to the first 2 and 3055 which is when the clans first showed up, there's imo a more managble number to use all over time..

About the only 'Mech in my moderately sizable collection that I've probably never actually fielded in a battle is an Assassin, and only because I've got several other light and medium 'Mechs that perform basically the same role..

Cause of my made up mechs, i always can find a role for a mech mini.  This 40 tonner represents THAT 40 tonner..

[wantec]

Everyone has their own Tastes. JHB.

Shame to miss out on the quailty of a Griffin thou.

Yeoman. Have 2 don't think they've ever been on the table.

A lot of the ATM boats get passed over by me. Except one Savage Coyote I bought just so anther player couldn't use it on us at the time.

Funny coincidence, Hellbie's games often see Yeomen and ATM boats show up.

[JadeHellbringer]

Funny coincidence, Hellbie's games often see Yeomen and ATM boats show up.

ATM boats, LRM boats, and no players.  :'(

But yeah, I do like the Yeoman. It does look stupid, I mean come on, but that's a whole mess of missiles downrange (same salvo as an LGB-0W from a few decades earlier on a much smaller package). Combined with Marik's semi-guided rounds, a Yeoman becomes an unholy beast to deal with. A couple of them backed by a good TAG spotter (Ostscout?) and a Hunchback as a bodyguard for the Yeomans is as solid of a team as one can build. Are there BETTER LRM options? Sure. Marik play isn't about BETTER Mechs- it's about using several flawed units to cover one another's problems to create a cohesive machine. And with its slow speed and total lack of defensive weaponry, a Yeoman is the personification of that way of thinking.

[Kit deSummersville]

How I learned to stop worrying and love the Yeoman.

[Fear Factory]

Alpha Strike got me to use a lot of my 'Mechs.  Everything becomes useful.

[sadlerbw]

If you count MegaMek, there isn't a whole lot that I've avoided. I'll try darn near anything against the bot to pass the time. When it comes to table-top though, I don't think I've ever actually put a Stinger or a Wasp on the table. I own at least one of each, but I've never played with them. Since I don't get to play TT all that much, when I do, I don't like taking situational or easily vaporized mechs, and the 6/9/6 bug mechs always just feel like a wasted slot to me. On the other end of things, I don't think I've every intentionally brought a 2/3 mech to a TT game. I've played them electronically, but I don't think I've ever put something like an Urbanmech down on a real table. I find them too annoyingly immobile, and leave them in the box.

Technically, I have plenty of minis that have never seen the table, but mostly because I ramped up on collecting them in the past couple years, but don't have time to get them into physical games. But that isn't really in the spirit of what the OP was asking.

[klarg1]

Think of them as one-shot jump jets.

Kit, I believe you may be the only person in Battletech who might advocate the full-leg ejection system with a straight face.

[Daemion]

A lot of 3055 designs.

I don't have a lot of them, mini-wise. A lot of them are too ugly to justify owning an official BT model of.

I also find that while I've fielded a lot from 3025, 2750 and 3050, anything that isn't Faction Specific generally gets sidelined in our ongoing campaign games. This includes a lot of the 40-tonners, which there are a lot of.

[Col Toda]

The Mauler DC mech  . AN ASSAULT MECH with a bunch of AC/2s and some energy weapons . Lack luster performance in combat but I think the real reason I don't see it much the mini requires pinning the arms on and people just don't want to go through that kind of effort for a mech they don't want to use anyway. This includes me . Seen it in combat twice  in thirty years.

[Demon55]

I am probably not the only one but there are a lot of mechs, vehicles and infantry that I have never used.

[garhkal]

The Mauler DC mech  . AN ASSAULT MECH with a bunch of AC/2s and some energy weapons . Lack luster performance in combat but I think the real reason I don't see it much the mini requires pinning the arms on and people just don't want to go through that kind of effort for a mech they don't want to use anyway. This includes me . Seen it in combat twice  in thirty years.

I honestly don't know what dunce made that mech up!

[Col Toda]

Someone made a varient of the Mauler with 4 light AC/5s and 2 Snub-Nosed PPCs for Urban defense but that happens very late in the timeline . Since the mini is such a hassle to put together I never seen it fielded.

[SCC]

Got a snarky one here: Anything painted up in FWL colors

[SteveUK]

Quads and Quad Vee's, I can't remember ever having played a 4 legged mech, I do own the miniatures but I don't think I've ever fielded one in a game. ???

[Pooman]

Charger 1A1. Not used once since its purchase 20 years ago. Not just because of its crapness but I hate the model. Love the Charger 1A5 on the other hand.

[Kovax]

Charger 1A1. Not used once since its purchase 20 years ago. Not just because of its crapness but I hate the model. Love the Charger 1A5 on the other hand.

What's not to like about it?  It's actually a pretty decent Medium 'Mech, except that it happens to weigh 80 tons.  Anything within its 8 hex movement range is at risk of a 16 point kick or a pair of 8 point punches, so the pathetic weapons selection is nearly irrelevant.  Put one on the table and other players joke about it and wonder what you were thinking.....except for the few who remember the LAST time it appeared and start to back away from it.

[Diamondshark]

What's not to like about it?  It's actually a pretty decent Medium 'Mech, except that it happens to weigh 80 tons.  Anything within its 8 hex movement range is at risk of a 16 point kick or a pair of 8 point punches, so the pathetic weapons selection is nearly irrelevant.  Put one on the table and other players joke about it and wonder what you were thinking.....except for the few who remember the LAST time it appeared and start to back away from it.

Basically, the Charger is a pair of legs and a reactor, with a bunch of useless things attached to soak up damage. Go up to bad things and kick them until they stop resisting, and don't mind losing arms and side torsos; they were red herrings, anyway.

[Kit deSummersville]

What's not to like about it?  It's actually a pretty decent Medium 'Mech, except that it happens to weigh 80 tons.  Anything within its 8 hex movement range is at risk of a 16 point kick or a pair of 8 point punches, so the pathetic weapons selection is nearly irrelevant.  Put one on the table and other players joke about it and wonder what you were thinking.....except for the few who remember the LAST time it appeared and start to back away from it.

It can also, you know, charge.

[garhkal]

Quads and Quad Vee's, I can't remember ever having played a 4 legged mech, I do own the miniatures but I don't think I've ever fielded one in a game. ???

I've used a lot of quads over the years.  Though i always preferred the unseen Goliath, i loved the Trantula, even if it was a mess to put together..

[Don Lunardi]

I've used a lot of quads over the years.  Though i always preferred the unseen Goliath, i loved the Trantula, even if it was a mess to put together..

Clearly since both designs have trouble getting love, someone needs to organize a game of Goliaths vs Griffins!

_{with maybe a lone Shadow Hawk thrown in there}

[Kovax]

It can also, you know, charge.

Well yes, there is that little detail (Who'd have guessed that a Charger could charge?), but a much less safe option in most cases.  A charge attack carries a higher to-hit number, and the penalties for missing are more dangerous, plus you take damage even if you succeed.  Besides, casually strolling up and kicking them is a much more "dignified"  and controllable way of expressing your discontent at their political views than by running into them, soiling your immaculate paint scheme, and scattering damage all over the place.

[Kit deSummersville]

Its just the sometimes there's a stupid Rifleman ignoring the Charger in back of him so I just want to run through him like the Kool Aid Man through a brick wall. It's so satisfying to yell, "Oh yeah!" after coring him....

[bluedragon7]

The older the TRO, the more likely I have used a mech from it. I don't think there is any mech from 3025 that did not appear in my games on either side.
But if I look at the latest early Jihad Era game, maybe only 10-15% of mechs were from that era.

By Mech I mean a specific chassis, not just a specific model.

[Mattlov]

Well yes, there is that little detail (Who'd have guessed that a Charger could charge?), but a much less safe option in most cases.  A charge attack carries a higher to-hit number, and the penalties for missing are more dangerous, plus you take damage even if you succeed.  Besides, casually strolling up and kicking them is a much more "dignified"  and controllable way of expressing your discontent at their political views than by running into them, soiling your immaculate paint scheme, and scattering damage all over the place.

True.  But way less fun and cool.

[Ang Moh Siao]

I know that summa you youngsters like 'em just fine, but I absolutely despise all the 'mechs that came along with the nonsense that happened after the "official timeline" advancing past, say, 3047.
Clan 'mechs? Blech! I hate everything about them, and especially the storyline. 

In my universe, that abortion that is the Clan Invasion never happened, and never will. The clock is stopped, and that calendar page ain't never gonna turn!

Also, you damn kids get offa my lawn!  <shakes fist!>
 >:(

[Don Lunardi]

Its just the sometimes there's a stupid Rifleman ignoring the Charger in back of him so I just want to run through him like the Kool Aid Man through a brick wall. It's so satisfying to yell, "Oh yeah!" after coring him....

Great, now I am never going to be able to look at the Big Red Charger attached to Sorenson's Sabres (or any other Sword of Light Charger for that matter) the same way again...

[Generalstoner]

The Clint and the Sunder.  In 3025 I actually had 2 Clints painted but never fielded them... ever.  I also had a Sunder that was painted up in a Sword of Light scheme that I never field but once.

[JadeHellbringer]

The Clint and the Sunder.  In 3025 I actually had 2 Clints painted but never fielded them... ever.  I also had a Sunder that was painted up in a Sword of Light scheme that I never field but once.

I'll back you on the Sunder- that lack of CASE means I've never seen one leave the field in any way but in multiple high-velocity chunks on assorted vectors.  ;D

The Clint though... man, that 3050 version with the ER PPC is just fun. Not perfect, but a lot of fun.

[Crimson Dawn]

I'll back you on the Sunder- that lack of CASE means I've never seen one leave the field in any way but in multiple high-velocity chunks on assorted vectors.  ;D

The Clint though... man, that 3050 version with the ER PPC is just fun. Not perfect, but a lot of fun.

I always liked that clint.  I have always been a fan of designs that replace ACs with PPCs.

[Kit deSummersville]

I always liked that clint.  I have always been a fan of designs that replace ACs with PPCs.

Well, there is that Rifleman....

[wantec]

Well, there is that Rifleman....

The -4D, -5D, -7X, or -8X?

[Kit deSummersville]

The -4D, -5D, -7X, or -8X?

The 4D, which would be warm if DHS had been a thing for it in 3021. PNT-10Ks actually feel bad for it in combat and have been known to offer it coolant.

[Mattlov]

The 4D, which would be warm if DHS had been a thing for it in 3021. PNT-10Ks actually feel bad for it in combat and have been known to offer it coolant.

That is an amazing line.   ;D

[Ruger]

That is an amazing line.   ;D

Yeah, I can imagine the Rifleman's comeback...

"You ever managed to pick up any other 'Mechs with that line?"

 ;D

Ruger

[garhkal]

Well yes, there is that little detail (Who'd have guessed that a Charger could charge?), but a much less safe option in most cases.  A charge attack carries a higher to-hit number, and the penalties for missing are more dangerous, plus you take damage even if you succeed.  Besides, casually strolling up and kicking them is a much more "dignified"  and controllable way of expressing your discontent at their political views than by running into them, soiling your immaculate paint scheme, and scattering damage all over the place.

And you can't fire any weapons when charging, which i have never understood..

[House Davie Merc]

Shadowhawk .

Yup . One of the early icons of the game .

Until the reseen RAC/5 version they would never
hit the game table unless they were rolled on a RAT or
somebody was forced to take one .

For the weight or BV points there just always seems to be a
better option in 3025 era games . The D variant is one of the worst in the game
and while the K is more usable the Griffin is usually better .

The 4D, which would be warm if DHS had been a thing for it in 3021. PNT-10Ks actually feel bad for it in combat and have been known to offer it coolant.

  The 4D actually shows up in our games from time to time .
Flipping arms makes it useful for discouraging back attacks .
It's one of the lightest and lowest  BV cost designs with twin PPCs .

[JadeHellbringer]

The 4D, which would be warm if DHS had been a thing for it in 3021. PNT-10Ks actually feel bad for it in combat and have been known to offer it coolant.

RiflePuddle.

[Don Lunardi]

RiflePuddle.

I played around with a hypothetical Marik -4M model that just went for Quad LLs backed up by 19 SHS.  Actually, if you use it as an AA platform with a turn to cool down between passes, its not too bad (thou its arguable that retaining the AC/5s would be better for such if you're using Flak rounds).  Against ground targets, could get off a couple full Alpha strikes before baking itself into a likely shutdown, which is more than the RiflePuddle -4D can manage.

Admittedly never used the base Rifleman much, except when I was first learning the game and the person teaching me gave me one to use while he took a "comparable Heavy 'Mech" to face me...a Warhammer. ???  In retrospect it should have been an easy Newb stomping for him, until I Golden BB'd the Whammy.  Ever since then, learned not to underestimate the humble Rifleman  >:D

Don't even get me started on the Rifleman IIC though.  Played a campaign game where a pair of those were rolled as part of the OPFOR I was facing.  4x CLPLs each be like Ow, Ow, Ow, Ow....

[CampaignAnon]

Shockingly for how often I played the Word, I don't use the White or Blue Flames, the Gurkha, Tessen, Lightray (SO MANY KNEEEEEEEEES), or some of the other Blakist staples. Possibly because I like C3i, and ECCM is required to make that at all useful on my table. And now that I think about it, I've used the Excalibur a sum total of twice, possibly because I like having at least some sort of backup laser. Oddly, both times I played a losing RWA force. I wonder if it's a sign...

[pensiveswetness]

Shockingly for how often I played the Word, I don't use the White or Blue Flames, the Gurkha, Tessen, Lightray (SO MANY KNEEEEEEEEES), or some of the other Blakist staples. Possibly because I like C3i, and ECCM is required to make that at all useful on my table. And now that I think about it, I've used the Excalibur a sum total of twice, possibly because I like having at least some sort of backup laser. Oddly, both times I played a losing RWA force. I wonder if it's a sign...

I just played a Blue Flame this last session with my wife. She turned it into a White Flame by the end of play :D

[Kit deSummersville]

Oh, as recently mentioned in another thread, the Hoplite. Hey, let's make a slower, non-jumping, more ammo dependent Griffin with less missiles. Yay!

[klarg1]

The older the TRO, the more likely I have used a mech from it. I don't think there is any mech from 3025 that did not appear in my games on either side.
But if I look at the latest early Jihad Era game, maybe only 10-15% of mechs were from that era.

By Mech I mean a specific chassis, not just a specific model.

That makes sense.

I mean, with the progress of time, we have come up with a crazy huge number of 'mech chassis, without even discussing individual variants.

I *think* I've used everything from the original 3025 at least once, but I'm not 100% sure. I'm probably close on 2750, and the few add-ons from 3050 as well, but I'd have to ponder it.

It's been a lot of years of Battletech.  :o

[JadeHellbringer]

For me, it's similar- most anything up through about 3060 I've used at least once or twice, most of '67 I'd say... beyond that, my Battletech has been limited (I haven't played since early fall of 2016 beyond occasional Megamek games against the bot), so most Jihad and beyond tech is spotty on whether I've tried it or not. Lack of opportunity more than lack of interest.

[Thatguybil]

Grand Titan
Never liked mechs with OS weapons.

[Col Toda]

It just occurred to me . How often anyone seen the Charger ? I have seen the opposition force use one twice in 30 years and after the battle it is stripped for parts for Hatamoto mechs which use the same chassis . One instance we captured one intact and salvaged it rather than field it . Has anyone noticed the same thing ? But  I stand by my original statement that the Mauler is not even valued as scrape where the Charger is looked upon as spare Hatamoto parts and has a high inherent value.

[JadeHellbringer]

It just occurred to me . How often anyone seen the Charger ? I have seen the opposition force use one twice in 30 years and after the battle it is stripped for parts for Hatamoto mechs which use the same chassis . One instance we captured one intact and salvaged it rather than field it . Has anyone noticed the same thing ? But  I stand by my original statement that the Mauler is not even valued as scrape where the Charger is looked upon as spare Hatamoto parts and has a high inherent value.

The 1A1? No, other than for humor. But other versions... man, you don't forget the first time you go up against a 1A5, let's just say that. Later versions like the 3K can get pretty fun too, but in 3025-era play a 1A5 is a really unfortunate opponent to stumble across in close quarters. Where you expect small lasers, you get a whole fistful of bad-freaking-day.

[Feenix74]

I have field a Charger-1A1. The RAT and the dice were unkind that day but I had fun with it.

The maps were a urban area (also randomly selected) and I gave my opponent a brown underpants moment when I cornered one of his medium mechs by charging through a building to leave him nowhere to run or hide from the "hulk smash".

[Sartris]

The 1A1? No, other than for humor. But other versions... man, you don't forget the first time you go up against a 1A5, let's just say that. Later versions like the 3K can get pretty fun too, but in 3025-era play a 1A5 is a really unfortunate opponent to stumble across in close quarters. Where you expect small lasers, you get a whole fistful of bad-freaking-day.

I love the 1A5 but my favorite Charger is the 3Kr with JJs, TC, a sword, and TSM.

[Hellraiser]

What do you have sitting around you haven't used in a forever and a half?  Any reason why?

If I own the mini, I probably use it every few years. 
That said, there are a boatload of mini's I don't own.
Pretty much if its from TRO3055 or later & isn't a FC based design, I probably don't have it.


My collection probably has a lance each Catapults, Archers, & Trebuchets in it, but not a single Apollo, etc etc.
I think my TRO:3055 IS collection probably only consists of Wraith, Penetrator, & Gunslinger, with a possible Falconer or Berzerker thrown in.  But those 5 would be it.

[Feign]

Grand Titan
Never liked mechs with OS weapons.

One of my friends used a Grand Titan in a mercenaries campaign specifically because it looks like Optimus Prime.  If there has ever been a mech less suitable for a Merc company, I'm unaware of it.

As for mechs I've never seen used on the table, the Imp comes immediately to mind.  It's a shame, since almost every variant of the Imp seems like a very solid design on paper.

[Kovax]

It just occurred to me . How often anyone seen the Charger ?

I had this to say about the Charger 1A1 earlier in the thread:

What's not to like about it?  It's actually a pretty decent Medium 'Mech, except that it happens to weigh 80 tons.  Anything within its 8 hex movement range is at risk of a 16 point kick or a pair of 8 point punches, so the pathetic weapons selection is nearly irrelevant.  Put one on the table and other players joke about it and wonder what you were thinking.....except for the few who remember the LAST time it appeared and start to back away from it.

While it's not something that I'd go out of my way to field, it's a perfectly viable choice for the BV, just not on a tonnage or cost basis.  Don't underestimate its physical combat capabilities.  In terms of both armor and movement, it falls squarely into the Medium 'Mech category; the pathetic weapons suite is counterbalanced by the higher physical attack damage.  Treat it as a 40 ton design with point-blank weapons and "always active" TSM, and it's not bad; you just have to ignore the fact that it weighs 80 tons.

[Iron Mongoose]

I did have an opponent take a Charger 1A1 against me in a competitive game.  His thought was, since I had a lighter force, to use it for its powerful physical attacks to try and push my smaller mechs around.  But, he didn't realize I'd take an all jumping force, so the ground bound Charger couldn't get into contact enough to get the job done.

Other than that once, I've only seen the 1A1 as a goof.

How about the Urbie?  It gets a lot of love on the boards, but I can't think of seeing on in a competitive game.  Sure, they've got surprising power for a light mech and they're just comical for their looks and sloth, but they're so tactically limited that I don't know who actually follows through on all the love and actually takes one.

[JadeHellbringer]

How about the Urbie?  It gets a lot of love on the boards, but I can't think of seeing on in a competitive game.  Sure, they've got surprising power for a light mech and they're just comical for their looks and sloth, but they're so tactically limited that I don't know who actually follows through on all the love and actually takes one.

On a few occasions, actually. Dirt-cheap in BV, which is great. The key is to not think of it as a Battlemech in the traditional sense- it's not. It's a mobile (even jump-capable!) turret emplacement, and on 30 tons it's hard to find a better way to move a heavy weapon into position in bad terrain. And it's house money- if you lose it, you lost an Urbanmech, whatever. The R63's LBX is a great upgrade, too- now I have a mobile AA gun position to park wherever I'd rather enemy air assets not go. (The pulse laser added on is nice in case of infantry too, though I admit I'd have been just as happy with more ammo for the main gun).

I couldn't be a bigger fan if I tried. They regularly are part of defensive forces for me.

[Iron Mongoose]

Guess it's been too long since we played (on that note, over the past 12 years or so, have we ever actually had a proper game?)

[JadeHellbringer]

Guess it's been too long since we played (on that note, over the past 12 years or so, have we ever actually had a proper game?)

I don't think so- after a few crappy experiences here I kind of stopped doing MM games with forum-goers for the most part, and only have been taking part in monthly games in Baltimore up until last fall (not even doing those now). My Battletech experience has dwindled to painting the occasional miniature, doing a game against the bot in the background while working at home, and what I do here on the forums.  :-\

[House Davie Merc]

It just occurred to me . How often anyone seen the Charger ? I have seen the opposition force use one twice in 30 years and after the battle it is stripped for parts for Hatamoto mechs which use the same chassis . One instance we captured one intact and salvaged it rather than field it . Has anyone noticed the same thing ? But  I stand by my original statement that the Mauler is not even valued as scrape where the Charger is looked upon as spare Hatamoto parts and has a high inherent value.

I've gamed with 2 different players that fielded the 1A1 once in a while .

Both would run it at full speed all the time and take full advantage of any terrain
to get it into physical attack range . While everyone else was maneuvering into
favorable positions they would just run in and get in you're face .
It made for some interesting games .
You'd think taking out a Charger with a Hunchback would be easy-until
you loose initiative for a couple rounds in a row .
BTW-Win a charger closes with a Whammy on the same level the Whammy
often looses quickly .

I don't think so- after a few crappy experiences here I kind of stopped doing MM games with forum-goers for the most part, and only have been taking part in monthly games in Baltimore up until last fall (not even doing those now). My Battletech experience has dwindled to painting the occasional miniature, doing a game against the bot in the background while working at home, and what I do here on the forums.  :-\

If you're ever going through southern PA send me an IM .
Most of the local players have moved away or are busy with family .
My little boy keeps me to busy to match schedules .
I'd be happy to bring my 3D terrain and set up a great
looking board for you to school me on  3025 style .

[sadlerbw]

The bug mechs don't see much use for me. They don't look all that bad, but I don't own any of the unseen minis so my only options are reseen or proxying in stuff like the primitive wasp or the stinger IIC. I actually like both of those minis, but I just tend to ignore the classic 20T trio. Of the three, I use the Locust far more often, but oddly I dislike its current minis the most. I did just buy one of the new IWM Wasp minis though, so maybe it will be more than a shelf queen. I'll use a wide variety of ugly or terrible mechs, but the Stinger and Wasp are two I seem to avoid as often as possible.

[Kojak]

I can say with confidence that I've never used a Targe and almost certainly never will.

[Mattlov]

I can say with confidence that I've never used a Targe and almost certainly never will.

I don't even own one in metal.

[Nastyogre]

Agreed.  The original Rifleman is just too poorly designed. 

I generally do not use the 20 tonners as for the speed there are better units or a hovertank can do the job better. 

I never use the Urbanmech.

RFL, JM-6 and Urbie all have their place on my table. 3025 just doesn't have that many good mechs. It becomes boring to run the same half dozen optimized units.

[truetanker]

Never got a chance to run this.

Panther-9K
Urbanmech-R60
Urbanmech-R60
Stalker-3F

BV2: 3,336 PV: 86

But I have high hopes of doing so...

And as for every mech that uses a ton of MG ammo, 200 points of BOOM is overkill...

TT

[Sartris]

I don't even own one in metal.

They're HUGE

[Mattlov]

I'm very aware of how enormous it is, it's one of the reasons I don't own one!  :D

[Luciora]

I bought a Targe before I even knew what the stats were.  One of the only few regrets I had buying minis.

[Death by Lasers]

  Gigads it is ginormous!  I can already think of a fluff explanation: the Targe is mostly filled with helium to make it more light on its feet.  This also makes it hilarious when one suffers a core breach.

  Imagines the last words recovered from a Targe's black box: "Armor down to critical to levels!  Torso breached!" *sounds of a gas leak in the background, voice begins getting progressively more "chipmunch" sounding*  "Heat at critical levels! Ammunition cooking off!" *voice now at a high pitched squeal* "Ejectiiiiiinnnnng!"

[Tymers Realm]

As someone not entirely familiar with anything post-3055, besides the King Crab and the Targe (looked that up on Sarna), what are the other 4 pictured?

[Mattlov]

Left to right:

DA King Crab, King Crab, Kraken/Bane XR, Targe, Pillager Anvil, Kraken/Bane 4.

Everything except the Targe is 100 tons.  The Targe is 40.

[Ice_Trey]

The captured clan mechs I have (Behemoth 1, Grizzly 1, Grendel, Arcas), because the BV is way too high to field against anything but other clan players.

My Naginata, which is only good to use in big games where you can keep a stronger perimeter to avoid getting flanked

My Hatamoto Chi, because if it's not Single Heat Sinked, the BV breaches the 2000 mark, making it not worth the price.

My Akuma, because all that ammo without CASE, and the biggest gun is the MRM30, which is only useful against slow targets with +1 TMMs.

My Crusader. Again, MRM30s only work against slow targets.

Sunder - Expensive and fragile

Daikyu - I don't mind the UAC5s in multiples, but it's expensive because it has too much engine. Speaking of which...
Dragon/Grand Dragon - Too much engine for any role but in support of lighter units.
Raptor / Kabuto - not bad, but I prefer jump capability and/or C3 support.
Hachiwara - Up until recently, all the experimental tech on the Solaris designs weren't used in most groups. I've never used it outside of megamek.

[Kit deSummersville]

My Akuma, because all that ammo without CASE, and the biggest gun is the MRM30, which is only useful against slow targets with +1 TMMs.

There are other versions of the Akuma that don't mount MRMs.

[Wrangler]

Thunderbolt IIC - Mini is to darn big.  I painted and everything in Rho Galaxy colors. It's a crime as well, since it's image by Matt Plogg is awesome.

Targe is to big as well, IWM messed up big time on sizing of that thing.  It has better stats in the late Dark Age

[Kit deSummersville]

Targe is to big as well, IWM messed up big time on sizing of that thing.  It has better stats in the late Dark Age

That's like saying the week old garbage smells better than the month old garbage.

[Mattlov]

There are other versions of the Akuma that don't mount MRMs.

And some that mount MORE!!!!

[Lord greystroke]

Thinking on this topic I suddenly realised I don't think I have used a panther more then once in the past 20 odd years that i have played consistently I may have before then but i doubt it

[Ice_Trey]

There are other versions of the Akuma that don't mount MRMs.

While true, it's been added recently enough that I've not been able to use it. Other alternatives are very heavy on experimental tech, which I've yet to try. Many players are still stand-offish about tech from the FCCW and Jihad.

Games are less regular when your only player is 2 hours by bullet train away.

[Kit deSummersville]

While true, it's been added recently enough that I've not been able to use it.
Games are less regular when your only player is 2 hours by bullet train away.

C'mon, it's been half a decade.

[sadlerbw]

Another thread in the fan section recently made me realize I'd never once played with or against a Lao Hu. Not even in MegaMek. I didn't avoid it intentionally, it just never came up. I'd never once played with any of its variants. I still haven't had a REAL game with them, but I made a point to at least give them a try in MegaMek. Turns out I like the Lao Hu quite a bit. I stuck it in a lance with a Thunder, a Ti Ts'ang, and an Anubis and had a fun time pummeling things. This game still probably has too many dang units, but I admit that 'finding' this one was kind of fun!

[Wrangler]

I've never seen Alfar in action before nor in action either.
It's a early Star League Mech used by the Lyrans which replaced some of the primitive Shadow Hawk and Griffin mechs. Itself was replaced by modern versions of the older machines.  The fluff reasoning is that they were high maintenance.